[Aztlan] Oxford´s mound controversy spans the Web

[Mario Cabrejos]

Mound controversy spans the Web: American Indian site in Oxford now on
Facebook, Twitter
by Dan Whisenhunt
http://annistonstar.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Mound%20controversy%20spans%20the%20Web-%20American%20Indian%20site%20in%20Oxford%20now%20on%20Facebook-%20Twitter20&id=3182487-Mound%20controversy%20spans%20the%20Web-%20American%20Indian%20site%20in%20Oxford%20now%20on%20Facebook-%20Twitter&instance=home_news


OXFORD - The controversy over the city's mysterious American Indian mound is
officially global. But city leaders are skeptical of the mound's newfound
Internet fame.

The Indian mound, which could be 1,000 years old or older, sits atop a hill
behind the Oxford Exchange. Some preservation officials are worried it could
contain human remains or burial artifacts. Until recently the city has
planned to demolish the hill for fill dirt for a nearby Sam's Club. But work
has stopped.

City officials have changed their story about plans for the mound. City
Project Manger Fred Denney initially said it would be fill dirt. Now he says
he never said it or that he misspoke. Denney's original statements are
backed up by two different public documents, including a University of
Alabama report commissioned by the city.

Carolyn Chambliss, who says she lives in Tuscany, Italy, founded a Facebook
group and cause related to the issue. Facebook is a social networking site
connecting friends and acquaintances based on numerous affiliations. The
Facebook group is called, "Stop Sacred Burial Mounds from becoming a Sam's
Club"; the cause, "Save Sacred Mounds from Destruction/ Boycott Sam's Club."

There are more than 7,000 members between the two groups, formed about one
month ago, and the protest is also active on Twitter, another social
networking site where people communicate by posting short messages.

Chambliss hopes these "virtual protests" will lead to "a real paradigm shift
in Americans' perception of Native Americans." She's also discussed raising
money for the preservation of the mound, which she would put into a trust.

"We did a Twitter blast," Chambliss said. "All through the world we blasted
Sam's Club and we got immediate results and people started talking about it
in Oxford because of this virtual protest."

She said there are several people in the area working with her. Jacksonville
resident Laurie Charnigo said she uses the group to stay informed about the
mound and other issues that concern American Indians.

"People have been writing letters," she said. "There are thousands of people
not in this community writing letters to different organizations and
associations and the mayor's office." She said the group is also concerned
about other potential historic sites, like the proposed location for
Oxford's sports complex, which will include an area known as Davis Farm.
Harry Holstein, Jacksonville State University professor of archaeology and
anthropology, said the people who constructed the mound likely lived on that
site.

Sam's Club, which is owned by Wal-Mart, has responded to the controversy by
saying no artifacts from the mound would go into its site. That's true, but
that was never at issue. The issue was what would happen to the dirt,
something Sam's does not control. The city, through its Commercial
Development Authority, owns the hill.

The misunderstanding about who is responsible for the mound bothers
Councilman Steven Waits.

"They're speaking about boycotting Sam's," Waits said. "It's really
unrelated to Sam's. The issue is about the mound and preserving the mound.
They're not utilizing dirt from that mound for the Sam's club."

Councilwoman June Land Reaves had similar concerns and said the story has
been an embarrassment to her.

"It's my understanding right now that no dirt is being taken from the
mound," she said. "It's being brought from somewhere else, but the damage
has been done to a point."

Council president Chris Spurlin and Councilman Phil Gardner were dismissive
of Chambliss' efforts, saying there's a possibility most of the members of
the group and cause are not who they say they are. Mayor Leon Smith declined
to comment for this story.

Can an Internet movement with members who are not from the area have an
impact on a local issue? One researcher says it can, if it's done correctly.

Sam Ford is a graduate of the Comparative Media Studies program at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and helped launch a group called the
Convergence Culture Consortium. In short, it researches the effectiveness of
social networking sites like Facebook.

"My answer would be these groups absolutely do have the ability to
influence, to change outcomes," he said. He called Facebook another avenue
for grassroots movements. He noted social networking sites were useful for
people trying to communicate in the aftermath of the contentious Iranian
elections. He added these groups are not a "silver bullet" to raising
awareness or solving problems. With the ease of communications also comes
the ease of signing onto a group or cause.

"I think it's interesting the international implications of this particular
movement," Ford said. "Here's a local issue with ties into an audience
that's geographically dispersed."

Chambliss said the Oxford mound issue fascinates her and other members
because of its symbolic importance.

"For me, with Native American heritage, I'm emotionally linked to it," she
said. "I feel in a way our ancestors are calling out to us for this big
injustice. I feel I've been called across the ocean in Italy."